2014 Relay for Life is this Friday and Saturday

The Survivors Lap began last year's Relay for Life and will again start this year's events. It is at 6 p.m.

OTTAWA — This year’s honorary chairperson for the Relay for Life of
Putnam County said having cancer is not a death sentence. She said she
think’s of it as God’s way of saying he knows you are strong-willed and
can handle anything you go through.

Lori Peterson, Leipsic, knows
that life can change in the blink of an eye. On Sept. 19, 2009, she was
diagnosed as having chronic myeloid leukemia. It’s a type of cancer that
usually occurs in older people.

Peterson will lead the Survivor’s
Lap this Friday when the 2014 Relay at the Titan Stadium in Ottawa. The
Survivor Lap will be held at 6 p.m. followed by the Caregiver Lap and
the Team Banner Lap.

Currently there are 23 teams that have registered to take part in this year’s event.

The popular auction will begin at 7 p.m. Nearly 100 items will be auctioned off to raise money for the Relay for Life.

From A1

Items
included on the list include a $400 set of ¼ carat of diamond earrings,
video chairs, Kelly Waters necklace, bbq grill, rod iron wine tree,
pizza certificates, three sections of a memory garden, and numerous gift
cards to businesses.

Peterson said it was an odd discovery when
she found her cancer. She had started to develop bruises all over her
body and one evening bled for two hours after cutting her knee.

“Luckily
since my cancer was caught in the early stage, “I have to take a pill
daily,” Peterson said she rarely has nausea or vomiting and never lost
her hair.

“For me the outcome is very promising,” she said. “I
live a very normal life. I will say it forever. I am very lucky and
blessed.”

Peterson said the hardest thing is the cancer has made
delayed her and her husband starting a family. “Like most married
couples we would like to start a family,” she said. “Unfortunately I
have to be in complete remission for two years.” She said if she got
pregnant while taking the Tasigna it would cause birth defects to the
baby.

“Every situation is what you make it,” Peterson said. “ry and have a positive attitude and support system.”

Even if you don’t have a team the Relay for Life Committee invite you to come out to support the teams, fun and events.